The division is under the command of a captain working with four lieutenants and two section managers. Three lieutenants supervise the Intake and Release Section (one per shift). The fourth lieutenant is the Administrative Lieutenant who supervises administrative issues, personnel issues, the division's budget and the Classification Section. One section manager supervises the booking and inmate records section and the other supervises the property section.

Intake and Release

The Intake and Release Section, utilizing deputies, provides around-the-clock booking and release functions for the entire Sheriff's Office. This involves the processing of all felony and certain misdemeanor arrests. The intake process includes:

accepting personal property inventories

physical searches

documentation review and bond assignments

data entry and removal into/from local, state and national databases

criminal history checks

fingerprint entry into the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS)

photographs

initial medical screenings

classification interviews to determine housing assignments; showers

movement to appropriate housing

The release process includes: reconciliation of all bookings regarding bonds or fines; review of court orders to ensure lawful releases or transfers; documentation of the person to be released; and, the assignment of future court dates. This section is also involved with the registration of sexual offenders and predators, as well as criminal registrants, who are still in the custody of the jail.

The Intake and Release Section also handles certain records' custody issues related to population control. The Transportation Team operating within this section provides travel and security for inmates going to and from outside medical/mental health related appointments, other Palm Beach County facilities, facilities located in other Florida counties and the Florida Department of Corrections prison as well as between PBSO correctional facilities to best utilize available inmate housing. The transportation team also provides community services utilizing inmate labor. Mobile/Remote booking and transportation services are available to PBC law enforcement agencies when requested for special operations.

Booking

The Booking Section handles the entry and distribution of booking information. This section also maintains booking related teletype communications with numerous criminal justice agencies and is charged with the responsibility of providing criminal histories for all inmates who are scheduled for First Appearance Court. These non-sworn members staff the section around-the-clock.

Inmate Records

The Inmate Records Section is responsible for maintaining court status information on all inmates. Non-sworn staff works closely with the judiciary and the clerk of the court to ensure accurate and timely court appearance scheduling for inmates, as well as the records generated from such appearances. Additionally, the section computes all sentences for county sentences prisoners. Inmate Records is the public venue for obtaining information on inmates, such as bond amounts, current charges and visiting days and times. This section prepares the daily court list for all inmates appearing in court. Also, Inmate Records computes the monthly billing amounts for the federal inmates housed. This section also prepares daily releases for all county sentenced inmates and all court releases.

Classification

The Classification Section operates around-the-clock in order to provide appropriate inmate housing determinations and assignments to best meet the needs of inmates, staff, and correctional facilities as a whole. Housing assignments are determined through a classification interview as well as an assessment of the inmates' current charges, criminal histories and known facility behaviors. The majority of inmates are initially housed in orientation housing units until their first appearance in court, after which those inmates who are not released or bond out receive a full Classification interview and are reassigned appropriately. Based upon predetermined factors, certain categories of inmates receive a full interview in the intake area upon admission. Classification is a highly fluid process, necessary to balance inmate needs while maximizing facility security concerns and goals. Additionally, the Classification section oversees the coordination and assignment of all county sentenced inmate workers throughout the Sheriff's Office and the community.

Inmate Property:

The Property Section is staffed around the clock with non-sworn members. Property functions include inventory and secure storage of all inmate property that is not authorized for retention by inmates in their housing units. The section also deals with all financial matters regarding inmates, which includes the deduction of $3 per inmate per day for subsistence fees and a $25 booking fee that was instituted to help offset taxpayer expenses related to the Intake process. The Property Section handles all incoming and outgoing inmate mail. Incoming mail is opened and searched for contraband. Outgoing mail is not censored but is marked, identifying it as coming from a correctional facility. Legal mail is opened and searched in the presence of the receiving inmate.